Rail-cleaner.



No. 689,024. Patented Dec. l7, l90l. A. ROM.

RAIL CLEANER.

Application filed Oct. 10, 1900.)

(No Model.)

m: Noams PETERS 20.. Pnorou'ma. WASHXNDYON. n. c.

U ITED STATES arnrvr @rricE.

ADOLF ROM, OE LIAN, NEAR CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY.

RAIL-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,024, dated December 17, 1901.

Application filed October 10, 1900. Serial No. 32,652. (No model- T0 all whom' it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADOLF ROM, a subject of the King of Sweden and Norway, residing at Lian, near Ohristiania, Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Cleaners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as \villenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object a device which is designed to be mounted on tramcars or locomotives for the purpose of cleaning the rails of dirt, snow, or other obstacles lying on or beside the same. Peculiar to this rail-cleaner is that the scrapers are mounted upon arotatable block or support so as to yield or turn rearwardly when striking upon a fixed obstacle, thereby causing the support to revolve and place another scraper in position upon the rails.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, partly in section, of a rail-cleaner for tram-cars embodying the present invention.

a a is a frame which is pivotally secured at u to the frame or any other part of the car and supported by means of a chain 1) or any other suitable means. The two parts a and a of the frame are hinged together at h, so that the lower part Ct is capable of swing ing laterally relatively to the upper one, ct. Because of the springs t' this lower part a, of the frame will constantly tend to keep an intermediate position. Pivotally mounted on a pin 0 atthe rear end of the frame is a square head d, serving as support for the scrapers. A spring f, acting against one of the lateral faces of the head, serves to hold the same in position. \Vhen the scraper in operation strikes upon a fixed hindrance-for instance, a projecting rail end-the spring f will yield and allow the head to turn ninety degrees, so as to place the next scraper in operative position upon the rail. The head (Z is laterally movable upon the pin 0, so as to be capable of yielding a little in the lateral di rection, being held in an intermediate position by the action of the spring g. A

greater lateral play is secured by the hingejoint 7b, which might of course afford alone the required lateral play; but I find it preferable to provide for a double mobility, the sliding head providing for the smaller and the hinge-joint h for the greater movements.

My new rail-cleaner is well fitted for use, both on tramways and on railways, for sweeping the rails or scraping off snow or ice along the same.

I claim 1. A track-cleaner comprising a two-part frame connected to turn on a vertical pivot, one of said frame parts adapted to be pivotally connected to a car and the other carrying a revoluble scraper, and a resilient connection between the frame parts operating to return them into a normal position when moved out of it by the turning of one of the frame parts on the aforesaid vertical pivot, for the purpose set forth.

2. A track cleaner comprising a scrapercarrier adapted to be pivotally connected to a car, a scraper mounted to revolve in bearings in said carrier having teeth arranged at angles of ninety degrees, and a spring adapted to act on bearing-faces of the scraper to antagonize its rotation and. hold one of the teeth thereof in operative position, for the purpose set forth.

3. A track-cleaner, comprising a scrapercarrier adapted to be pivotally connected to a car, a scraper mounted to revolve and slide laterally on a pin having its hearings in the carrier, said scraper having its teeth arranged at angles of ninety degrees and provided with four corresponding bearing-faces and springs exerting power on one of the faces of and on the end of said scraper respectively, for the purpose set forth.

4. A track-cleaner, comprising a two-part frame a, a connected to revolve on a vertical pivot h, part a adapted to be pivotally connected to a car, the squared scraper carrier (Z, having a scraper c secured to each of its faces, said carrier of greater length than the width of the scrapers e, and having also motion lengthwise on its support, springs connecting the frame parts and antagonizingtheir rotation in either direction on the aforesaid vertical pivot, and springs acting on one of the faces of the extension of the scraper-carrier and on one end thereof respectively, for its rotation and hold a scraper in operative the purposes-set forth.

5. A track-cleaner, comprising a scraperposition, for the purpose set forth. 10

In witness whereof I have hereunto set cm-rieradapted to be pivotaliy connected with 1 my hand in presence of two witnesses. a car, a scraper revolubly mounted on the carrier and consisting of a square head havinc scrapers secured to its faces and a spring acting on the faces of the head to antagonize ADOLF ROM. Witnesses: I

ALFRED J. BRYN, J OH. VAALER. 

